Depression
Enviado por melopolo • 8 de Abril de 2014 • 647 Palabras (3 Páginas) • 143 Visitas
As a teenager you go through many changes that affect your moods, behaviours and feelings. It can be quite a roller coaster ride of emotions and it's normal to have ups and downs — everyone feels blue once in a while. If these feelings last longer than a few weeks without improving, then you may be experiencing depression.
Depression is more than just feeling sad. When you have depression you feel hopeless and that you can't see your way out. If you are worried about depression you may want to learn about symptoms of depression, what causes depression and how you can treat depression.
It's important to remember that you need to share your feelings with a trusted adult and get the support you need. If you aren't sure who to turn to, remember, Kids Help Phone is available free, 24-hours a day at 1-800-668-6868.
Symptoms of depression
Everyone experiences depression in different ways, but there are feelings and behaviours that are common to depression. Some of the symptoms a person may experience include:
Marks dropping
Acting aggressive or disruptive
Having negative thoughts or feelings about themselves
Taking more risks than they used to
Withdrawing from friends and family
Losing interest in things they previously enjoyed
Having difficulty making decisions
Having trouble concentrating
Feeling irritable or angry
Feeling helpless or hopeless
Feeling anxious, nervous or restless
Feeling sad or "down"
Feeling guilty
Changes in sleep patterns (e.g. having trouble falling asleep or staying asleep or wanting to sleep all the time)
Changes in appetite (e.g. not wanting to eat much or wanting to eat all the time)
Feeling more fatigued or tired
Using drugs or alcohol to cope with moods
Having thoughts about death or suicide
If you have more than four or five of these symptoms or notice clear changes in your personality you may have depression. It is important that you get help in order to figure out why you are feeling or acting this way. Talk to a trusted adult about your feelings or call Kids Help Phone at 1-800-668-6868 and talk to a professional counsellor.
What causes depression?
Sometimes people might experience depression after big changes in their lives like:
A family divorce
A break up
The death of someone close
A big move
Conflicts at home
Other times depression just happens. Depression can be caused by bodily, psychological and environmental factors, or a combination of all three. Sometimes, depression can be genetic, which means that if someone in your family has had depression you may be more prone to developing it.
Will it go away? How can I treat it?
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